The module is organised into one introductory week and the following five stages and each supports the drafting of different parts or chapters of the dissertation.
Each stage includes learning material that will support the carrying out of the research and the writing of the dissertation. Some stages provide detailed material, while others require greater independent work and are shorter in learning content.
At the end of your dissertation, you are required to include a reflective account. This fits into the notions of the reflective practitioner, whereby effective finance professionals consciously reflect upon and learn from their work-related experiences. To this end, the reflective account supports the development of the professional skills encouraged throughout the previous modules.
As well as the module website, there are various other resources available to you. For example, you'll be provided with guidance on writing your research proposal and literature review, and choosing and implementing your chosen research methods. You'll also be guided on the availability of various data sources used in empirical finance literature. For your empirical analysis, you'll be expected to build upon the knowledge that you acquired in your research methods module. You will also be guided to The Open University’s policy on the use of Generative AI for research.
The module provides you with an opportunity to carry out a quantitative empirical research project which has relevance for finance and business practice. You'll also have a chance to familiarise yourself with professional databases, like LSEG Workspace, and statistical software packages such as R.
You will have a tutor, who'll also be your research supervisor, to help you work through the study programme and mark and comment on your written work, and your contact for advice and guidance. You can contact your tutor by phone, email or via the tutor group forum on the module website.
The module website enables you to interact online with your tutor and other students studying the same module. Your tutor group will be smaller than with the other modules, as each tutor only supervises four students to provide thorough guidance during the research study.
Course work includes:
You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
You can only study this module as part of specific Open University qualifications.
B895 is a compulsory module in our:
Sometimes you cannot count a module towards a qualification if you have already counted another module with similar content. To verify any excluded combinations with this module, check with an adviser before registering.
Dissertation (Finance) starts once a year, in November.
This page describes the module that will start in November 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in November 2031.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
As this is the final module that you will study in the MSc in Finance, you must have successfully completed the required compulsory modules and option module.
This module requires approximately 600 hours of study over 47 weeks.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of this module and the best time to start, please speak to an adviser.
Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader.
If you’re using printed materials as part of reasonable adjustments to support your studies, note that printed versions of online materials are unavailable for this module.
| Start | End | Register by | England fee |
|---|
| 07 Nov 2026 | 31 Oct 2027 | 15 Oct 2026 | Not yet available* |
| *This start date is open for pre-booking, which means you can reserve your place ahead of the fees being confirmed. We’ll publish updated 2026/27 fees and funding information in late March 2026. |
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate tuition fee loans in Northern Ireland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Scotland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Wales.
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Joint loan applications
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As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average, the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.
Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
